Ditchable
by Neneithel
Summary: John Winchester has dumped a teenage Dean on Bobby and Bobby is not happy about it.


_Ditchable._

Bobby put the bottle of soda in front of Dean and said, "Don't spill any on the books, kid."

"I won't." said Dean, moving the nearest book closer. "What's a Rawhead and Bloody Bones?" he said.

"It's a kind of cellar-lurking child-eater." said Bobby.

"Nice. You hunting one now?"

"No, I'm just looking for something to help a friend dispose of one. I'm thinking electricity might just have an effect."

"Fry the sucker? I like your thinking."

"Have you eaten?" said Bobby. He wasn't fond of John's habit of ditching the kid and he knew John wouldn't have thought of food as a top priority. Dean was the one who thought of that, for himself and Sammy.

Dean shook his head.

Bobby headed to the refrigerator.

"It's okay." said Dean, "I can get my own food. Anything you don't want me to eat?"

"If it's mine, it's yours. You know that." said Bobby, "I'd better call your Dad, now he's had time to calm down."

Dean shrugged. "We argued. He just went weird on me and then decided it was time to dump me on you. For which I apologise, Bobby. Not my idea."

"You don't like it here?" said Bobby.

"You know I do, but you've got other stuff to worry about." said Dean.

Bobby looked at the fresh-faced seventeen year old and frowned. The boy saw himself as a burden and distraction. Being repeatedly left with various people for no apparent reason didn't help. "I could use your help." he said, "You go through that lore. See if there's any reason why a buttload of volts won't zap the critter. I'd rather find out now than when it eats Kinsey."

Dean nodded and started reading. John said he was "not academic", but when the subject interested him, he was a true scholar.

Bobby left the kitchen and settled into an armchair to call John. As soon as he answered, Bobby said, "You wanna tell me why I've acquired a teenager this time?"

"It's just for a few days." said John.

"Yeah, note how I didn't ask how long." said Bobby, "You know this messes him up, every single time, right?"

"Well, he shouldn't argue." said John, "This family is not a democracy. We are at war."

"Yeah. You and me, we've both seen war. Ever notice how pissing off the soldiers and making them feel expendable leads to nothing but trouble?"

"I just want him to accept my decisions without insubordination."

"Bullcrap."

"I'm sorry?"

"You want me to pass that apology on with a less sarcastic tone?" said Bobby, "Because that kid never ignores or disobeys an order and questioning one shows his brain is working. Maybe you should listen to him, because he's got more lore in his head than you have in that journal of yours and he's well on the way to being the best hunter I know and I personally am glad to have his razor sharp mind available right now."

"You finished?" said John.

"Winchester, I'm barely getting started. He idolises you and you just keep sending him away. If you break his spirit, we're never going to be able to fix that. You want him to end up drinking himself to death in some gutter because you never showed him any love?"

There was a long, uncomfortable silence.

"You still there, John?"

"Still here."

"You know, if I had kids like yours, who worshipped the ground I walked on, I wouldn't let them out of my sight. You've got no parents, no brothers or sisters and most of your friends you piss off so much they become enemies. You have two boys who are good and clever and brave and kind-hearted and I know you love them, so why the Hell do you work so hard at keeping Sam dependent and Dean at arm's length?"

"You don't understand, Bobby." said John, "It's that damn Campbell face."

"That what?"

"He looks like Mary, Bobby and when we argue and he gets annoyed, he does the same face she used to do and he looks so much like her that I feel like he's taunting me. It hurts and I get angry and I feel myself about to lose my temper with him, just because he looks like his Mom, like that's his fault. You know I'd rather cut off my arm than hurt my boys, but I'm scared of these insane rages, straight from the pain and grief. I bring him to you ... to anyone who will be kind to him, because I need him away from me."

"Why don't you just tell him that?" said Bobby.

"Because I'm their father. I'm the only family they have left. They need to have faith in me and they can't have faith in a man driven insane by grief."

"If you think it would alter Dean's feelings about you in any way, you don't know him at all." said Bobby.

"I don't know that I know either of them, but I know I have to get control of my temper, or I'll never get revenge for Mary and I'll end up losing my sons. To get control, I need Mary's face out of my life for a few days, especially the hurt, angry version Dean does."

"He's hurt and angry because you hurt him, Einstein."

"I know. I swear, I'll make it up to him. I'll also give you some money when I come to fetch him. I know he's not cheap to feed."

"I don't want your money. I'm not your frickin' nanny. Just come soon. You owe him."

"I do. I know I do. Look, tell him it's my fault and I'll be back in a few days."

"You could tell him yourself." said Bobby.

"I don't think that's a good idea."

"Of course not!" said Bobby. He ended the call. He gave himself a couple of minutes to lose the anger and then went back into the kitchen, where Dean was studying the lore books, a plate of sandwiches beside him. "You formed an opinion yet?" he said.

"I don't see any reason why electricity wouldn't work. Go with a high voltage, to be sure. With a bit of luck, the sucker might even catch fire." Dean spoke with undisguised glee.

"Your dad'll be back in a few days. He says this is his fault, not yours."

"Then why did I get ditched?" said Dean.

"Because your daddy is a dick." said Bobby.

_The End._


End file.
